Process for the production of spirocyclic phosphoric acid esters



United States Patent 3,364,285 PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SPIRO- CYCLIC PHOSPHORIC ACID ESTERS Herbert Grabhiifer, Cologne-Flittard, and Hans Ulrich,

Leverkusen, Germany, assignors to Agfa Aktiengesellschaft, Leverkusen, Germany, a corporation of Germany No Drawing. Filed May 6, 1964, Ser. No. 365,505 Claims priority, application Germany, May 18, 1963, A 43,143 4 Claims. (Cl. 260-973) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Esteriiication of the cyclic partial ester where X is halogen, by reacting it at elevated temperatures with an alcohol or phenol boiling above 100 C. in absence of solvent and continuously removing the gaseous hydrogen halide formed, as by evacuating to 1-250 mm. of mercury.

This invention relates to a process of producing spirocyclic phosphoric acid esters by heating alcohols with pentaerythritol esters of phosphorchloridic acids in vacuo.

The production of spirocyclic phosphoric acid esters by reacting pentaerythritol-bis-phosphoric acid monohalides of the formula:

wherein X represents a halogen atom, with alcohols or phenols in organic solvents and in the presence of acidbinding agents is known. The ester-halide in which the X is chloride is also known as the pentaerythritol ester of phosphorchloridic acid.

However, this process is relatively complicated, since it involves the use of solvents and special processing steps for isolating the esters from the reaction mixture. Furthermore, the yields produced are relatively low.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a single step process for the production of those esters.

We now have found that esters of pentaerythritol esters of phosphorchloridic acid can be prepared in a simple manner by heating the phosphorchloridic acid of the above Formula I in vacuo with relatively involatile alcohols or phenols in the absence of solvents or acidcombining agents and with simultaneous removal of the hydrogen halide liberated in the reaction from the reaction mixture.

This discovery is all the more surprising, since it would have been expected that under these conditions the ester groupings of the pentaerythritol ester of phosphorchloridic acid would not remain stable.

After completing the reaction, any traces of hydrohalic acid which are still adsorbed by the reaction mixture can be neutralised by adding small amounts of alkaline substances.

As alcoholic reaction component there can be used aliphatic alcohols or phenols having a boiling point above 100 C. under standard pressure M7 60 mm. of mercury. Suitable alcohols and phenols for performing the reaction of the invention include those of the following general formula:

3,364,285 Patented Jan. 16, 1968 wherein: R represents an alkyl radical having at least 5 carbon atoms, aralkyl groups particularly phenylalkyl groups such as benzyl or phenylethyl, an aromatic radical, more especially a phenyl group which in turn may be substituted preferably with aliphatic radicals having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or a hydrogen atom if it stands for an integer equal to or greater than 1. A represents a divalent aliphatic radical with 2 to 6 preferably 2-4 carbon atoms, more especially an ethylene radical; n is 0 or an integer equal to or greater than 1, advantageously 4 to 50.

Specific compounds of this type are aliphatic monohydric alcohols with 8-20 carbon atoms, phenyl substituted aliphatic alcohols the phenyl group of which can be substituted by alkyl radicals especially those having between 6 and 18 carbon atoms, phenols preferably monophenols which may be substituted preferably in the p-position by alkyl radicals with 6 to 18 carbon atoms, xylenols, polyhydric aliphatic alcohols preferably glycols with 2 to 12 carbon atoms, polyalkylene glycols, the alkylene group of which may have 2-6 carbon atoms, more especially polyethylene glycols with 2 to and advantageously 4 to 50 ethylene oxide units, glycols and polyalkylene glycols in which a hydroxy group is etherified by reaction with an aliphatic alcohol with 1 to 20 carbon atoms, with a phenol which may be substituted by aliphatic radicals, and with cycloaliphatic or araliphatic alcohols, such as cyclopentyl or cyclohexylalcohol, benzylalcohol or phenylethylalcohol.

In performing the reaction, the monohydric alcohols and phenols are generally used in quantities of 2 mols per mol of the pentaerythritol ester of phosphorchloridic acid of the above Formula I, whereas the divalent alcohols are generally used in quantities from 1 to 2 mols per mol of the compound according to the above Formula I. The reaction can be carried out at temperatures from about 50-250 C. preferably 80 to C. and in a vacuum. Generally the reaction can be accomplished in a vacuum of about 1-250 preferably 10-50 mm. of mercury. The yields produced are practically quantitative.

The esterification products obtained by the present process can be represented by the following Formula III:

/OC\E\I2 /CHzO O ROA OP\ /C\ l O- AO R in which R, A and n have the same meaning as in Formula H.

Depending on the proportions and reaction conditions which are used, it is possible to prepare condensation products in which one of the terminal groups can be a Example 1 hours. Hydrochloric acid is split off. Yield 470 g. of white r t' t f-120125 C; The final 900 g. of dodecyl oxyhexaethylene glycol and 300 g. crystals Wlth a mel mg pom O th f r ula: of pentaerythritolester of phosphorchloridic acid are product corresponds to e O m O heated in a vacuum of 15 mm. and while stirring to 100- CH2 CH2 H 0 0 H/ E 120 C., hydrochloric acid escapes in large quantities. 5 CILQO-P C /PO- 7 CH: After the reaction is completed, the reaction mixture is OC]/12 CHz-O made neutral with a methanohc sodium alcoholate solution. The methanol is removed again in vacuo. Yield: We claim:

1040 g. of a waxy, amber-colored substance of the for- 1. A process for the productlon of sp rocychc penmula: l0 taerythritol esters of phosphoric acid which comprises fi/O-Cg; /CH2O\() OCH2CH2-0C12H25 A OClz onwo A Example 2 15 the steps of preparing a mixture consisting essentially of I pentaerythritol-bis-phosphoric acid monochloride and an 1320 f p-nonyl phenoxy decaethylene g ycol and alcohol or :phenol having a boiling point above 100 C., 300 of the Pentaefythritolestef of PhOSPhOIChIOIidiC the mixture having about 1 mol of the chloride for every acid are reacted in accordance with the method of Exam- 1 to 2 mols of the alcohol or phenol, heating the mixture ple 1 to give 1540 g. of a compound of the formula: directly to a temperature between 80 and 150 C. in

' o OCH2 CH1O 0 CpH1u OCHr-CH2 Oi 0 i"O CH2CHzO CQHW /'w \CHZ O/ /m Example 3 vacuo, and continuously removing the gaseous hydrochloric acid which is set free.

under a vacuum of 15 Hg with stirring for pound having a boiling point of above 100 C. has the hours to l00l20 C. until evolution of acid has clearly following formula:

subsided. The substance is then diluted with 500 cc. of I f methanol and adjusted to neutrality With a 10% meth- R0 H anolic sodium methylate solution. After distilling oh? the methanol, 650 g. or a highly viscous condensation product are obtained which can be used Without further purification for photographic purposes. From the ratio of the starting products and the molecular weight of 900 determined by osmotic methods, the following formula can wherein: R is a member of the group consisting of alkyl having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, a phenyl, phenyl substituted hen lalk l and h dro en if n is an inte er of at be assumed for the final product: 1; y y g g 0 CH2 CHFO O 40 A is a divalent alkylene group having between 2 and l fl/ 4 carbon atoms; and I Y CH3 OP\ H n. is 0 or an integer from 1 to 100.

L 0CH2 CH2O i 3. A process as defined in claim 2, Wherein'the com- Example 4 pound boiling above 100 is a polyethylene glycol.

V 4a 4. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the reac- 316 of ll-decanol and 297 Of the pentaerythmoles' tion is conducted in a vacuum of between 10 and ter of phosphorchloridic acid are heated 'as indicated in f mercury 7 Example 1 for 4 hours in vacuo to 100 C. The yield is 520 g. of a Waxy, colorless product of the formula: References Cited 3 UNITED STATES PATENTS o 11 r O P O C/\CH 0 7 2,516,168 7/1950 Woodstock zoo-973x P 2,650,935 9/1953 Gamrath et al. 260-973 X Example 5 2,661,366 12/1953 Gamrath et a1. 260-973 X 244 g. of xylenol and 297 g. of the pentaerythritol ester RKE of phosphorchloridic acid are heated to C. as previ- CHARLES PA Primary Examiner ously described in a vacuum of 15 mm, Hg, fo 4 t 5 A. SUITO, Assistant Examiner.

with alkyl groups having up to 20 carbon atoms, 

